System and method for managing data transactions between applications

Abstract

A method and system for managing data transactions having a transaction exchange server. The system includes a first listener modular program instance installed at a source system that supports an application utilizing a first application-specific file format. The system includes a second listener modular program instance installed at a destination system that supports an application utilizing a second application-specific file format different from the first application-specific file format. The first listener modular program instance transforms data from the first application-specific file format into data in a common transaction description format. The first listener modular program instance communicates the data in the common transaction description format to the transaction exchange server. The second listener modular program instance initiates a call to receive the data. The second listener modular program instance transforms the received data from the common transaction description format into the second application-specific file format.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for managing data transactions, comprising:
 a transaction exchange server;   a first listener modular program instance installed at a source system, the source system supporting an application utilizing a first application-specific file format; and   a second listener modular program instance installed at a destination system, the destination system supporting an application utilizing a second application-specific file format which is a different file format from the first application-specific file format;   wherein the first listener modular program instance transforms data supplied by, and stored at, the source system from the first application-specific file format, storable and readable by the application utilizing the first application-specific file format, into data in a common transaction description format, and communicates the data in the common transaction description format to the transaction exchange server, which stores the data in the common transaction description format as an active transaction until the destination system initiates a call to receive the data;   wherein the second listener modular program instance at the destination system initiates the call to receive the data;   wherein the transaction exchange server copies the data and communicates the copied data in the common transaction description format to the destination system;   wherein the second listener modular program instance at the destination system confirms receipt of the copied data and transforms the copied data from the common transaction description format into the second application-specific file format storable and readable by the application utilizing the second application-specific file format at the destination system; and   wherein the transaction exchange server stores the data as a historic transaction after the second listener modular program instance at the destination system confirms receipt of the copied data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first listener modular program instance installed at the source system is authenticated to the transaction exchange server. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second listener modular program instance installed at the destination system is authenticated to the transaction exchange server. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first listener modular program instance utilizes Structured Query Language to transform the data supplied by, and stored at, the source system from the first application-specific file format into the data in the common transaction description format. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second listener modular program instance at the destination system utilizes Structured Query Language to transform the data in the common transaction description format into data in the second application-specific file format. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first application-specific file format and the second application-specific file format comprise proprietary formats, non-proprietary formats, open source formats, or open-standard formats. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first application-specific file format and the second application-specific file format comprise text file formats, graphic file formats, data file formats, spreadsheet file formats, word processor file formats, video and audio file formats, markup language formats, archive formats, compressed formats, computer-aided formats, database formats, webpage formats, mobile device formats, windows file formats, or object file formats. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first listener modular program instance and the second listener modular program instance comprise an interpretation layer which builds an integration infrastructure based on a unique definition of an interface of the application utilizing either the first application-specific file format or the second application-specific file format. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the common transaction description format further comprises a listener identification character value corresponding with either the first listener modular program instance or the second listener modular program instance. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the common transaction description format further comprises a unique transaction index value corresponding with either the first application-specific file format or the second application-specific file format. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the common transaction description format further comprises a sender identification key corresponding with the application utilizing the first application-specific file format. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the common transaction description format further comprises a receiver identification key corresponding with the application utilizing the second application-specific file format. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the common transaction description format further comprises metadata having at least one meta string and at least one meta value. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method of communicating data transactions between applications, the method comprising:
 an application of a source system supplying data in a first application-specific file format;   a first listener modular program instance of a source system transforming the data, supplied by the source system, from the first application-specific file format into data in a common transaction description format;   the first listener modular program instance communicating the data in the common transaction description format to a transaction exchange server;   the transaction exchange server storing the data in the common transaction description format as an active transaction until a destination system initiates a call to receive the data;   a second listener modular program instance at the destination system initiating a call to the transaction exchange server to receive the data;   the transaction exchange server communicating the data to the second listener modular program instance at the destination system in the common transaction description format; and   the second listener modular program instance at the destination system receiving the data in the common transaction description format from the transaction exchange server, wherein an application of the destination system utilizes a second application-specific file format which is a different file format from the first application-specific file format.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the transaction exchange server storing the data as a historic transaction after the second listener modular program instance at the destination system confirms receipt of the data. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method of communicating data transactions between applications, the method comprising:
 a transaction exchange server receiving data in a common transaction description format from a source system;   the transaction exchange server storing the data in the common transaction description format as an active transaction until a destination system initiates a call to receive the data;   the transaction exchange server receiving a call from a listener modular program instance at the destination system to receive the data;   the transaction exchange server communicating the data in the common transaction description format to the destination system; and   receiving confirmation from the listener modular program instance of the destination system that the data in the common transaction description format was received from the transaction exchange server.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the transaction exchange server storing the data as a historic transaction after the listener modular program instance at the destination system confirms receipt of the data. 
     
     
         18 . A listener system providing universal communication to an application, the listener system comprising:
 a sending module configured to direct data in a common transaction description format from an application to a transaction exchange server;   a receiving module configured to obtain data in the common transaction description format from the transaction exchange server; and   a transformation module configured to transform data from at least one application-specific file format into data in the common transaction description format and transform data from the common transaction description format into the at least one application-specific file format, wherein the at least one application-specific file format is storable and readable by the application.   
     
     
         19 . The listener system of  claim 18 , further comprising a posting module configured to incorporate new data in the at least one application-specific file format with previously stored data in the at least one application-specific file at the application.